Trigat

Trigat is a European missile program involving France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The missiles are being developed by the Euromissile Dynamics Group, a consortium composed of Aerospatiale (France), MBD/UK (United Kingdom) and Daimler Benz Aerospace (Germany). The missile has a tandem, high explosive hollow charge which can defeat modern Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) equipped targets. Its general arrangement is similar to Milan and is equipped with a Thermal Imaging sight to allow engagement to maximum range by day or night, in all weather conditions.

TRIGAT is being developed in two variations, TRIGAT-MR for medium range applications and TRIGAT-LR for long range applications. The missile is also known as PARS-3, Panzerabwehr Rakensystem 3 (Armour defence rocket system 3 in the German language), and AC 3G, AntiChar de 3e Generation (Anti-tank of the Third Generation in French).

The development of the Trigat (medium-range) continues, but France has withdrawn from the Trigat LR (long-range) project. Long Range Trigat is a ten year development project. This means that the original contract money ensures only that the missile will be developed (to the stage of manufacturing design), not that it will necessarily go into production.

MR TRIGAT is a crew portable MR ATGW system which will replace MILAN in the armed forces of the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. France and Germany have already signed the MOU for the next phase. The British Army will get the Medium Range (MR) TRIGAT project to provide its principal Medium Range Anti-Tank Guided Weapon System (ATGWS), in collaboration with France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. The UK is also considering procurement of a lighter system for deployment with airborne and commando units. Once the contract has been let, the programme will transfer to management by OCCAR, the armaments co-operation organisation formed in 1996 by the UK, France, Germany and Italy. MR TRIGAT industrialisation and production has a total value to the partner nations of about Pounds Sterling 1bn. The British Army will buy 45% of all the systems produced, with the signing expected to spur action by Belgium and the Netherlands, according to manufacturers Matra BAe Dynamics, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace/LFK, and Aerospatiale Matra Missiles. The companies will make 1,600 firing units, 1,200 thermal sights, and more than 35,000 medium-range Trigats, with a global value of more than 8 billion French francs, about $1.33 billion U.S. at current rates of exchange, over a 10-year period.